Hiya! Here's my prayer letter, dated May 19, for supporters of the ministry:
'Summer is here! Well, sort of. I guess it’s not ‘technically’ summer till mid-June, and anyway, the weather this week feels more like ‘April showers’ than ‘May flowers.’ I don’t know about you, but I’m looking forward to some warm weather!
However, as far as college students are concerned, summer has been here for almost two weeks. Many, including my wife, finished their last exams on Friday, May 5th. Sarah’s were her last of her undergraduate career! She won’t officially graduate till this December, but this fall she will begin work in her Master’s of Social Work. I’m very proud of her as she surpasses me in the world of academia. Pray for her as she fills her time with other endeavors, whether it’s reading some books she’s wanted to or discipling the high school girls she works with and getting them out to Young Life camp in June.
I wanted to let you know that all of our end-of-the-year stuff went real well. I also wanted to show you some pictures; here’s a shot of the candle arrangement from the Seder:
And I don’t think I’ve ever shown you a picture from our canvas group, exsatio, that we started this semester. It’s been a great time of Bible study and friendship development. Here’s a bunch of the boys playing guitar:
All our canvas groups are meeting in one group for the summer since there are less people here; it will be called ‘The Well’ and it’s starting next Wednesday at the Waterhouse. I’d love to see the committed students and leaders still around stay involved with that, so please pray they come out. It will help us all stay connected. In the fall, we’ll branch back into the Monday renovaré, Tuesday veritas and Wednesday exsatio, and hopefully start one more canvas group, as is our goal each semester.
I have some news about LT (Leadership Training) that I’ve been able to share with some of you already. Sarah and I won’t be going for as long a period as we thought when I wrote you last. The LT program people had some housing fall through; they were able to make other arrangements, but it is more expensive. So, since they are well-staffed this summer, they offered for Sarah and me to only come for 4 weeks instead of 10. We happily agreed, because this will give us opportunity to both help the summer activities here in Morgantown get established as well as get a taste of LT and the work there. We will be in Wilmington for the four weeks of July. This also means that we have to raise less than we thought for the cost of LT! But we’re still in need of some, so thanks again to those who have already given extra to GCM for this cost and for those that are still considering doing so. Remember, always send extra gifts to GCM and not to Sarah and me personally. If you wish to give above and beyond your current or past giving, please just send it in to GCM either this month or next. Thank you!
On that note, I want to take a minute and attempt to encourage all of you for your generosity! I recently saw a letter from a friend who is on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ, and he talked about how we all, as Christians, are called to fulfill the Great Commission in Matthew 28: ‘...go and make disciples of all nations ... teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.’ He referenced Romans 10:15 as well, which says, ‘And how can they preach unless they are sent?’ speaking of those who proclaim the message so that others may hear and believe. It is God who sends all of us, but He also has enabled some of us, like you, to ‘send’ others, like me, to ‘go’ in specific ways. Both jobs are equally important, and I want you to know I truly believe that and hope you do too. Thank you for ‘going’ in your lives and also by your ‘sending’ of me!
You may wonder what exactly I do with my time now that a lot of students aren’t here and now that I won’t be at LT for as long. Well, a lot, surprisingly! I got to give my third message to date at h2o on May 7th. As I’ve said before, I don’t aspire to be a regular speaker in ministry, but I do enjoy filling in here and there when Billy is out of town, and it is always good for the mind, heart and soul to engage Scripture in serious study. Study in general is what I’m looking most forward to being able to commit more time to this summer. There are a lot of books I’ve been meaning to read, some of which I’ve already started, like The Provocative Church by Graham Tomlin and Simply Christian by N. T. Wright, which both speak of elemental themes of who we are as Christians and as the body of Christ and our role in His Kingdom and this world. I’m also going to read and complete the study materials for Living by the Book by Howard G. & William D. Hendricks; it’s been recommended in the highest degree by scholarly friends for revealing how we are to read the Bible to derive the most meaning from it for our lives. Pray for me: that I devote the personal time needed, that I open my heart and mind to what God is teaching me through these texts, and that I am willing to let Him shape me from His very heart and be sharpened by Billy and others by discussing what I’m learning with them.
And of course, as I’ve mentioned, we are continuing h2o every Sunday this summer, which I’m helping with as usual, and we will have our weekly Bible study, ‘the Well,’ every Wednesday, which I will help lead. Please pray for our increased efforts this summer to remain connected with students. And also pray for our place of meeting, the Waterhouse, that it may continue to serve our needs and that we can keep improving it for God’s purposes.
IN CHRIST,
Cameron'
Cameron'
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